


Christmas Conundrum

by HyperHare88



Category: Collar x Malice (Visual Novel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 09:30:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17180399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HyperHare88/pseuds/HyperHare88
Summary: It's been years since Ichika and Shiraishi and been able to celebrate Christmas together. Shiraishi doesn't understand the concepts of Christmas but Ichika is determined to make it special for him!





	Christmas Conundrum

**Author's Note:**

> This is my Collar x Malice 2018 Secret Santa gift for Amarillo! I had a lot of fun writing this, Shiraishi deserves to be happy and I hope this makes you happy too! Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy New Year!

A cold breeze cast its way through the winds of Shinjuku, promising a chilly night as the evening sky grew darker in hue. Ichika Hoshino brought her coat close to her body as she exited the building of the police station, having just finished her shift for the day. She pulled her phone from her pocket, sending a text to Shiraishi.

  _Just got off work! Are you still up for wrapping presents tonight?_

She received a reply before reaching the crosswalk, letting out an amused chuckle at the response.

_Your brother and I are waiting for you._

When she first met Shiraishi, such behavior bothered her but after several rough patches, she had come to accept that part of him. She was surprised, the first time she had come home to find Shiraishi waiting for her but understood the reasoning. After a year of her having amnesia, and several years of him being in prison, they weren’t given the time to be a happy couple. They had spent the past few months trying to make up for lost time, and Ichika was determined to give Shiraishi the proper Christmas he deserved. After sending a text that said she would be there soon, she began the walk back home, going over plans in her head.

****

 Back at the house, Kazuki let out a sigh of annoyance as Shiraishi pelted him with Christmas questions, the meaning of the Holiday a mystery to him.

 “...and are these kids really so dense as to believe that one man has the capability to deliver presents to everyone throughout the world within the span of a single night? Granted, even if you take time zones into account, it still doesn’t make sen-”

 “When you’re a kid, you don’t think that much into it! It’s not until you get older that you realize it doesn’t make any sense!” Kazuki interrupted, his patience wearing thin. Of all the men that his sister had become close to, she just had to fall for this one.

 Shiraishi paused for a moment, taking his answer into account. Alright, that did answer __one__ question, but there were still several more fallacies. He was about to respond with another concern when the sound of the door opening announced Ichika’s arrival.

 “Finally, I thought you’d never get home!” Kazuki grumbled as he sat up on the couch. “I don’t know why I keep letting him in.”

 “It’s because despite the harsh attitude that you choose to show everyone, you’re actually quite fond of your sister and you know that I make her happy, so you decide to put up with me, even though you find me annoying.”

 Kazuki’s eyes went wide as Shiraishi revealed his thoughts with exact accuracy, a smirk spread on his face.

 “Oh, Ichika had that same look when I did that to her back when we were first acquainted. Is this what’s considered a family resemblance?”

 “Not quite!” Ichika quickly cut in, sensing the tension between them. “Shiraishi, you haven’t eat yet, have you? Why don’t you help me make dinner? We can wrap the gifts up after!”

 “Hm, an obvious excuse to get me away from your brother but time alone with you is always welcomed.” Shiraishi replied with a smirk, pulling Ichika close to his side, an arm around her waist and a hand lifting her chin. Ichika felt her face heat up as she looked into his eyes, stammering out his name.

 “Could you at least wait until you’re into the kitchen!?” Kazuki exclaimed before letting out a sigh. As much as he hated to admit it, Shiraishi was right about his feelings. Still, he wasn’t too crazy about seeing them showing bold affection. He reached out for his guitar that he had leaning against the wall, casually strumming a tune before he continued.

 “If you two would like some privacy, I can always go back to the apartment.”

 While Kazuki was staying with Ichika for the holidays, he had moved out almost a year prior. With his musical career was going well, he was able to afford moving into his own place with Isshiki and then later Akito, when he was released from jail for his involvement with Adonis. Akito’s family insisted on him spending Christmas with them and Isshiki decided to follow suit, going home to his own family, leaving Kazuki to stay with his sister to avoid spending Christmas alone.

 Ichika quickly shot down the suggestion, pulling Shiraishi into the kitchen as she did so. “But then you’d be all alone! We’ll get started on dinner right now so you just stay right there!”

 As she set about gathering the needed ingredients, she pointed a finger at Shiraishi, telling him not to complain about rejecting her brother’s offer. He placed a hand on his cheek, leaning on the counter.

 “You can’t blame me for getting upset at a lost opportunity to be alone with you. We were only separated for hmm, how many years?”

 Oh, he was playing _that_  card. Ichika hated that more often then not, she would cave in and allow Shiraishi to have more of her time, even if was a bit inconvenient. He had made her late for more then one occasion but she had to admit that he did have a point. All those years apart did make the idea of being separated less desirable, although she knew they had to find a healthy balance.

 “You’ve gotten me many times with that line before, Shiraishi, but this time it won’t work. Now you can either mope by yourself or help me cook, but either way we’ll be eating this dinner together, all three of us!”

 If there was one thing Shiraishi had learned in a short time about Ichika, it was that she had conviction. Once she was set about something, it was hard to change her mind without good reasoning. Knowing he was beat, he relented and assisted with the meal, but not without sneaking in a few kisses and constantly wrapping his arms around her waist. While she was prone she blushing, she was fond of his affection and carried on with the meal.

 ***

 Dinner went by without too much trouble, with Ichika there to help mend the mood. Soon they had all had their fill and were wrapping presents as planned. Shiraishi continued where he left off on his questions concerning Christmas, although now they were directed at Ichika rather then Kazuki.

 “Honestly, what is the point of wrapping everything up? It’s a pitiful waste of paper and tape and it’s so time consuming, we’ve been at this for almost an hour and we’ve still got so many presents! Can’t we just give them to everyone without it?”

 “Because it’s supposed to be a surprise, without the wrapping paper they would automatically know what it is! It’s supposed to be part of the fun! Anyways, it’s my turn to ask a question. Why does every gift from you have a cat on it!?”

 Ichika was about to interject, worried about another possible argument when Kazuki changed the subject, asking about something she had noticed herself. It was true that every gift from Shiraishi was in some way related to a cat. Yagani's gift was an ash tray and lighter, both with cat prints on them. Enomoto’s gift was a fan with an image of cats dressed as samurai. Okazaki was getting a pillow in the shape of a cat’s head and Sasazuka would receive a box of donuts, all decorated with cat eyes, ears, mouth and whiskers.

 “It is to my knowledge that gifts are supposed to be within the person’s interests. However, I don’t see a reason in as to why I can’t include mine as well.”

 Kazuki simply gave his sister a look that glanced over to Shiraishi. Ichika let out a soft chuckle, an innocent act but Shiraishi knew that there was a hidden meaning behind it. The glance Kazuki shared was a look of knowledge, one that revealed that he knew about something that Shiraishi didn’t. Judging by Ichika’s reaction, she was also aware and found it amusing. Taking everything into account, the most obvious reason for this secrecy had to pertain to his gift, which made him wonder...

 “So now, Ichika? Which gift here is mine?”

 “Hm?” The question caught her off guard, and she found herself unable to fully process his inquiry.

 “Out of all the gifts that are here, which one did you get for me?”

 “Do you seriously think she would wrap the gift right in front of you?” Kazuki cut in before Ichika could speak, baffled by his lack of understanding.

 Shiraishi tilted his head, his confusion evident. “And why wouldn’t she? I  was told that we were wrapping out gifts for everyone today, why would I be excluded?”

 “Because that would ruin the surprise!! You’re not supposed to know what it is! If you’re invited to wrap gifts up with someone, of course your gift would be excluded!”

 Shiraishi placed a hand on his chin, trying to piece together the information. “So it’s crucial that the present be a secret until the exchange…and if invited to wrap up gifts, it is just that of other people and not your own, in order to keep the mystery?”

 "Yes! Finally, he gets it!” Kazuki was about to question Ichika when a realization hit him. “Don’t tell me…your gift for Ichika is right here on this table?”

 “Nonsense, your sister is quite difficult to shop for. I’m still looking for a gift that would be suitable.”

 There was a brief pause that involved another glance between the siblings before Kazuki spoke up again.

 “Are you aware that Christmas is on the twenty fifth of this month?”

 “I’ve been told by many people that it is, so I believe it can be considered a true statement.”

 “And are you aware that the twenty fifth is in three days?”

 “Are you aware that I am more then capable of finding the right gift in time? Besides, I don’t see your gift for her anywhere.”

 “Because it’s already wrapped and under the tree! Look, it’s right there!” Shiraishi turned to the direction Kazuki indicated, his eyes widening in surprise.

 “Huh, so you did find a gift before me…tell me, how did you know what to get her?”

 “Because she’s my sister and I know what she likes so I picked something I knew she would enjoy! It’s really not that hard!” Kazuki took note of the expression on Shiraishi’s face, realizing that he genuinely did not understand the concept of gift giving. “…have you never done this before?”

 “Of course I haven’t, otherwise I would be educated on every aspect of this holiday. Where I’m from, Christmas was unheard of. Giving gifts, decorating a tree, singing songs of peace…I would never have believed such a concept existed before being allowed into the real world.”

 Kazuki fell silent, a sudden pang of guilt causing him to cast his eyes down words. Ichika had mentioned about his past before when he pried for the information, but he didn’t know the full details.

 “Oh, you don’t have to feel guilty. It’s not your fault I had a bad childhood.”

 Kazuki was about to deny his actions when Ichika stepped in, relieving him from the situation.

 “Truth be told, I still need to go out and get your present, Shiraishi, so we’re both in a similar position!”

 “Oh? You have yet to find the prefect gift for me as well?” His eye lit up in a curious manner, placing a hand below his chin.

 “Well…I know what to give you…I just...still need to pick it up.” Ichika answered, trying not to spoil her surprise.

 “And what if they ran out of stock? What shall you do for me then?”

 “Um…well…” Ichika was unable to make eye contact as she avoided the question. She hadn’t expected him to pry into the matter, although she mentally berated herself for not anticipating it.

 “She’s already thought everything through. You will get your gift and if you want answers, you can have them after, but not before.” It was Kazuki’s turn to save Ichika and she breathed a sigh of relief when Shiraishi finally accepted the proposal.

 “Very interesting, a gift in which Ichika has yet to buy but with a guaranteed delivery? I must admit, you have be stumped for an answer, Ichika! I look forward to seeing the answer to this riddle!”

 Ichika was glad that after that, he didn’t question her too much further. They were able to steer the conversation into another direction and even though he knew what they were doing, he allowed for it. They continued to wrap their gifts, trying to explain the many traditions of Christmas and their meaning to Shiraishi. Although it felt like a wasted effort, he claimed that the information he obtained was quite valuable.

 Ichika, knowing this was not enough, was determined to help him understand.

 ***

 The three days they had until Christmas passed by fast, with everyone making their own preparations. Shiraishi had, after several hours of shopping, finally found a gift he considered worthy of Ichika’s delight.

 It was a large plush cat with high quality fur, mostly white with a few spots of brown. Something stuck a chord when he first laid eyes upon it and an instinct kicked in, convincing him it was the perfect present. He now knocked upon Ichika’s door, the cat wrapped in his arm. She only opened the door a crack as she greeted him, wishing him a Merry Christmas.

 “It be even merrier if you let me in.” He replied, causing Ichika to look behind her before opening the door with a grin. Her smile turned into a look of shock when she saw the plush that Shiraishi had brought with him.

 “Sorry, I didn’t quite know how to wrap this. Merry Christmas, Ichika.”

 He held it out to her yet she continued to stare before calling over to her brother. “Kazuki, look!”

 Kazuki looked up from where he was eating a biscuit on the couch before the same shocked expression spread on his face.

 “How did he -”

 He quickly stood up, rushing over to examine the plush. “How in the world? He didn’t find out, did he?”

“There’s no way!” Ichika replied with a laugh. “I made sure! Shiraishi, you didn’t figure out your gift, did you?”

 “No, actually, I never did figure that out. I’ll admit, this isn’t the reaction I was expecting, especially from Kazuki. This holiday continues to lack any form of sense.”

 “Oh, you’ll figure it out soon enough!” Even Kazuki had a grin as he went back to his breakfast.

 Shiraishi gave Ichika a confused look before handing her the gift. “Alright, your reactions have left me with several questions. Based on the information I have, the most logical explanation is that your gift to me is the same as the one I have given to you.”

 “It’s a bit different then that! Kazuki was right, you will find out really soon! Oh, and you don’t have to worry about not wrapping this because I didn’t wrap mine either!”

 This earned a laugh from Kazuki, leaving Shiraishi more baffled then he could remember. What was the logical answer to all this? Why was Kazuki in on it? Why would she not wrap a gift when a few nights prior, she had told him all about the importance of i-

 His thoughts were interrupted by something rubbing against his leg, a feeling that was familiar to him. He looked down to see a medium sized cat, with fur that was mostly white with a few spots of brown. He quickly looked back to the plush and to the real cat once more, realizing that he had managed to find a plush that looked almost exactly the same as the one standing below him.

 Ichika was laughing at his reaction, once again wishing him a Merry Christmas. Upon seeing his confused expression remain the same, she walked over and picked up the cat, petting their head as she introduced them.

 “Shiraishi, this is Cocoa! Cocoa, this is Shiraishi! He’s gonna be taking good care of you!” She continued to gently pet Cocoa as she looked Shiraishi in the eyes, a pure smile upon her face. “ I know you said that you don’t have the time to take care of a cat yourself, but I figured that between the two of us, she’d get plenty of love! You’ve been coming here more often anyways, and I know that eventually you’ll want us to have a place of our own, so I know that she’s in good hands with the two of us!”

 Shiraishi looked at the cat in Ichika’s arms, happily rubbing her face into her hand as she purred. He had always been content to play with the stray cats but he had never even considered the idea of sharing the responsibly of owning one with Ichika. He realized that there was more to this gift too, it was a promise to their lives together.

 “Whoa, he’s tearing up! Ichika, I think you broke him!”

 Kazuki’s voice brought Shiraishi back to his senses, and as he blinked he realized that there had been tears welling in his eyes. Ichika brought him into a hug before passing Cocoa along to him. He gently stroked her fur along the back and while he failed to notice how wide a grin he grew, Ichika caught it and smiled herself.

 “Shiraishi…this is the true meaning of Christmas! Surprising your loved ones with a gift that makes them truly happy…reminding them of how much they’re loved…spending time with your family and friends to create fond memories…do you get it now, Shiraishi?”

 Shiraishi looked at Ichika before looking down at Cocoa and then to Kazuki. To him, Christmas was a conundrum. It lacked proper sense and every custom was confusing. Still…he couldn’t deny that the day had put him in a mood of pure bliss.

 “Honestly, Ichika…no, I still don’t understand Christmas and I don’t know if I ever will. But what I do understand that is right now, I’m in a room with people who care about me and I’d like for this to stay longer then just the holiday season. I actually don’t understand why this is encouraged as a yearly event, shouldn’t we be doing this all year? Reminding our loved ones that we love them shouldn’t be restricted to Christmas.”

 “He finally gets it!” Kazuki exclaimed with a smile. “You seem to know more about this then you realize.”

 “I will never understand the connection between being showing your love and getting gifts from a man that goes around the world in one night on flying reindeer.”

 "That’s fair.”

 “...Kazuki, I just realized that I forgot to get you a gift.”

This earned a laugh from him as Kazuki shook his head. “You really don’t mince your words, do you? Yeah, I kind of figured that would happen. You were so focused on getting my sister the right gift you forgot about me in the process. You must have picked up the gifts for everyone else with Ichika, because otherwise she would have reminded you. Add your Christmas Conundrum to the mix and it’s easy to see why you would forget. See, you’re not the only one who can piece together information.”

 Shiraishi blinked in surprise before turning over to Ichika. “Hm, he’s got the potential to be a profiler. I could teach him what I know, but I already know that he doesn’t want to know.”

 Both Ichika and her brother laughed at that statement.

 ***

 The evening of that Christmas found Shiraishi and Ichika curled up on the couch, with Cocoa lying between both of their laps. Ichika was resting her head on Shiraishi’s shoulder, enjoying the warmth and comfort. Shiraishi gently patted her head, reflecting on the day’s events. He was aware that he wasn’t the easiest person to get along with and yet for the first time, he had spent a Christmas with his love and part of her family. He was now the proud owner of a cat whom he loved dearly. If this feeling of joy was a promise that Christmas would bring every year, Shiraishi figured that even if he didn’t understand it, he would still welcome it.


End file.
